Exemplary embodiments in accordance with principles of inventive concepts relate to an apparatus and a method of shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers. An apparatus employed in such shaping may be referred to as a stretch-blow-moulding machine. Typically, stretch blow moulding machines have a plurality of blow-moulding stations in which pre-forms are blow-moulded into plastic bottles by the application of an internal pressure. Finished blow-moulded plastics must be cleaned in a complicated manner after completion of the blow-moulding process.
During the blow-moulding process a stretch bar moves into the plastics material pre-form and stretches it to the base of the mould. Blow moulding pressure shapes the bottle and the stretch bar retracts from the finished bottle. A stretching unit supports and guides the stretch bar.
Typically, a stretching unit may be connected and guided on a linear guide by way of a moment slide or stretch slide. The stretch bar is generally guided centrally in a very precise manner over a very long stroke (up to 450 mm, for example). The stretch slide moves in and out at very high speed and may be driven, for example, by a linear motor mounted centrally with respect to the stretching axis.
Alternatively, the stretch bars may be moved by a guide cam, for example.
Conventionally, a stretch blow-moulding machine is located in a non-clean room and is subject to contamination. As a result, the ready shaped bottle may be contaminated and may require hygienic cleaning in a separate module, such as a rinser.
PCT application WO 2010/020529 A2, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discusses a sterile blow moulding machine.
At present, no stretch blow moulding machines are known which produce plastic bottles which are blown aseptically. The mechanical system and the “non-clean course” of the stretching process are similar in all machines currently on the market.